Cardiopulmonary exercise testing in clinical practice: Principles, applications, and basic interpretation.

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) provides a noninvasive and integrated assessment of the response of the respiratory, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal systems to exercise. This information improves the diagnosis, risk stratification, and therapeutic management of several clinical conditions. Additionally, CPET is the gold standard test for cardiorespiratory fitness quantification and exercise prescription, both in patients with cardiopulmonary disease undergoing cardiac or pulmonary rehabilitation programs and in healthy individuals, such as high-level athletes. In this setting, the relevance of practical knowledge about this exam is useful and of interest to several medical specialties other than cardiology. However, despite its multiple established advantages, CPET remains underused. This article aims to increase awareness of the value of CPET in clinical practice and to inform clinicians about its main indications, applications, and basic interpretation.

Blood gene expression biomarkers of response to anti-TNF drugs in pediatric inflammatory bowel diseases before initiation of treatment.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Changes in gene expression profiles among individuals with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) could potentially influence the responsiveness to anti-TNF treatment. The aim of this study was to identify genes that could serve as predictors of early response to anti-TNF therapies in pediatric IBD patients prior to the initiation of treatment. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, longitudinal, and multicenter study, enrolling 24 pediatric IBD patients aged less than 18 years who were initiating treatment with either infliximab or adalimumab. RNA-seq from blood samples was analyzed using the DESeq2 library by comparing responders and non-responders to anti-TNF drugs. RESULTS: Bioinformatic analyses unveiled 102 differentially expressed genes, with 99 genes exhibiting higher expression in responders compared to non-responders prior to the initiation of anti-TNF therapy. Functional enrichment analyses highlighted defense response to Gram-negative bacteria (FDR = 2.3 ×10-7) as the most significant biological processes, and hemoglobin binding (FDR = 0.002), as the most significant molecular function. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) revealed notable enrichment in transcriptional misregulation in cancer (FDR = 0.016). Notably, 13 genes (CEACAM8, CEACAM6, CILP2, COL17A1, OLFM4, INHBA, LCN2, LTF, MMP8, DEFA4, PRTN3, AZU1, and ELANE) were selected for validation, and a consistent trend of increased expression in responders prior to drug administration was observed for most of these genes, with findings for 4 of them being statistically significant (CEACAM8, LCN2, LTF2, and PRTN3). CONCLUSIONS: We identified 102 differentially expressed genes involved in the response to anti-TNF drugs in children with IBDs and validated CEACAM8, LCN2, LTF2, and PRTN3. Genes participating in defense response to Gram-negative bacterium, serine-type endopeptidase activity, and transcriptional misregulation in cancer are good candidates for anticipating the response to anti-TNF drugs in children with IBDs.

Polymorphisms indicating risk of inflammatory bowel disease or antigenicity to anti-TNF drugs as biomarkers of response in children.

Few genetic polymorphisms predict early response to anti-TNF drugs in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and even fewer have been identified in the pediatric population. However, it would be of considerable clinical interest to identify and validate genetic biomarkers of long-term response. Therefore, the aim of the study was to analyze the usefulness of biomarkers of response to anti-TNFs in pediatric IBD (pIBD) as long-term biomarkers and to find differences by type of IBD and type of anti-TNF drug. The study population comprised 340 children diagnosed with IBD who were treated with infliximab or adalimumab. Genotyping of 9 selected SNPs for their association with early response and/or immunogenicity to anti-TNFs was performed using real-time PCR. Variants C rs10508884 (CXCL12), A rs2241880 (ATG16L1), and T rs6100556 (PHACTR3) (p value 0.049; p value 0.03; p value 0.031) were associated with worse long-term response to anti-TNFs in pIBD. DNA variants specific to disease type and anti-TNF type were identified in the pediatric population. Genotyping of these genetic variants before initiation of anti-TNFs would enable, if validated in a prospective cohort, the identification of pediatric patients who are long-term responders to this therapy.

Association between HLA DNA Variants and Long-Term Response to Anti-TNF Drugs in a Spanish Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease Cohort.

The genetic polymorphisms rs2395185 and rs2097432 in HLA genes have been associated with the response to anti-TNF treatment in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The aim was to analyze the association between these variants and the long-term response to anti-TNF drugs in pediatric IBD. We performed an observational, multicenter, ambispective study in which we selected 340 IBD patients under 18 years of age diagnosed with IBD and treated with anti-TNF drugs from a network of Spanish hospitals. Genotypes and failure of anti-TNF drugs were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox logistic regression. The homozygous G allele of rs2395185 and the C allele of rs2097432 were associated with impaired long-term response to anti-TNF drugs in children with IBD after 3 and 9 years of follow-up. Being a carrier of both polymorphisms increased the risk of anti-TNF failure. The SNP rs2395185 but not rs2097432 was associated with response to infliximab in adults with CD treated with infliximab but not in children after 3 or 9 years of follow-up. Conclusions: SNPs rs2395185 and rs2097432 were associated with a long-term response to anti-TNFs in IBD in Spanish children. Differences between adults and children were observed in patients diagnosed with CD and treated with infliximab.

Epidemiology of interstitial lung diseases and their progressive-fibrosing behaviour in six European countries.

The PERSEIDS study aimed to estimate incidence/prevalence of interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), fibrosing interstitial lung diseases (F-ILDs), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), systemic sclerosis-associated ILD (SSc-ILD), other non-IPF F-ILDs and their progressive-fibrosing (PF) forms in six European countries, as current data are scarce. This retrospective, two-phase study used aggregate data (2014-2018). In Phase 1, incident/prevalent cases of ILDs above were identified from clinical databases through an algorithm based on codes/keywords, and incidence/prevalence was estimated. For non-IPF F-ILDs, the relative percentage of subtypes was also determined. In Phase 2, a subset of non-IPF F-ILD cases was manually reviewed to determine the percentage of PF behaviour and usual interstitial pneumonia-like (UIP-like) pattern. A weighted mean percentage of progression was calculated for each country and used to extrapolate incidence/prevalence of progressive-fibrosing ILDs (PF-ILDs). In 2018, incidence/105 person-years ranged between 9.4 and 83.6 (ILDs), 7.7 and 76.2 (F-ILDs), 0.4 and 10.3 (IPF), 6.6 and 71.7 (non-IPF F-ILDs), and 0.3 and 1.5 (SSc-ILD); and prevalence/105 persons ranged between 33.6 and 247.4 (ILDs), 26.7 and 236.8 (F-ILDs), 2.8 and 31.0 (IPF), 22.3 and 205.8 (non-IPF F-ILDs), and 1.4 and 10.1 (SSc-ILD). Among non-IPF F-ILDs, sarcoidosis was the most frequent subtype. PF behaviour and UIP-like pattern were present in a third of non-IPF F-ILD cases each and hypersensitivity pneumonitis showed the highest percentage of progressive behaviour. Incidence of PF-ILDs ranged between 2.1 and 14.5/105 person-years, and prevalence between 6.9 and 78.0/105 persons. To our knowledge, PERSEIDS is the first study assessing incidence, prevalence and rate of progression of ILDs across several European countries. Still below the threshold for orphan diseases, the estimates obtained were higher and more variable than reported in previous studies, but differences in study design/population must be considered.

Whole Transcription Profile of Responders to Anti-TNF Drugs in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

BACKGROUND: Up to 30% of patients with pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) do not respond to anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor (anti-TNF) therapy. The aim of this study was to identify pharmacogenomic markers that predict early response to anti-TNF drugs in pediatric patients with IBD. METHODS: An observational, longitudinal, prospective cohort study was conducted. The study population comprised 38 patients with IBD aged < 18 years who started treatment with infliximab or adalimumab (29 responders and nine non-responders). Whole gene expression profiles from total RNA isolated from whole blood samples of six responders and six non-responders taken before administration of the biologic and after two weeks of therapy were analyzed using next-generation RNA sequencing. The expression of six selected genes was measured for purposes of validation in all of the 38 patients recruited using qPCR. RESULTS: Genes were differentially expressed in non-responders and responders (32 before initiation of treatment and 44 after two weeks, Log2FC (Fold change) >0.6 or <-0.6 and p value < 0.05). After validation, FCGR1A, FCGR1B, and GBP1 were overexpressed in non-responders two weeks after initiation of anti-TNF treatment (Log2FC 1.05, 1.21, and 1.08, respectively, p value < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Expression of the FCGR1A, FCGR1B, and GBP1 genes is a pharmacogenomic biomarker of early response to anti-TNF agents in pediatric IBD.

Pharmacogenetics of trough serum anti-TNF levels in paediatric inflammatory bowel disease.

AIMS: Identifying DNA variants associated with trough serum anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) levels could predict response to treatment in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). To date, no specific studies have been performed in children. The aim of this study was to identify genetic variants associated with trough serum anti-TNF levels and whether these variants are differential markers for infliximab and adalimumab. METHODS: We included 154 children (age < 18 years) from 17 hospitals who had been diagnosed with IBD and actively treated with infliximab or adalimumab. Twenty-one polymorphisms were genotyped using real-time PCR. Trough serum anti-TNF levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The association between DNA polymorphisms and the therapeutic range or the absolute values of anti-TNF drugs was analysed by Fisher exact test, student's t-test and logistic regression. RESULTS: The variants rs5030728 (TLR4) and rs11465996 (LY96) were associated with subtherapeutic infliximab levels. rs1816702 (TLR2) was associated with supratherapeutic levels and rs3397 (TNFRSF1B) with subtherapeutic levels of adalimumab (P < .05). In addition, rs1816702 (TLR2) and rs2569190 (CD14) were associated with absolute values of trough serum adalimumab, and rs2569190 (CD14) was associated with absolute values of trough serum adalimumab and infliximab (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Genotyping of these DNA variants before starting treatment may help to select the best anti-TNF drug in paediatric patients. The SNP rs1816702 is the most promising marker for tailoring the anti-TNF regimen in children with IBD. For the first time, DNA variants are associated with trough serum anti-TNF levels.

Genetic Predictors of Long-term Response to Antitumor Necrosis Factor Agents in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

OBJECTIVES: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is more complex in children and they will have to live with the disease for much longer. For this reason, it is necessary to optimize treatment. The polymorphisms associated with the response to anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) drugs in adults with IBD have not been analyzed in children. The aim of the study was to identify genetic variants associated with the long-term response to anti-TNF drugs in children with IBD. METHODS: An observational, longitudinal, ambispective cohort's study was conducted. We recruited 209 anti-TNF-treated children diagnosed with IBD and genotyped 21 polymorphisms previously studied in adults with Crohn disease (CD) using real-time PCR. The association between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and time-to-failure was analyzed using the log-rank test. RESULTS: After multivariate analysis, 3 SNPs in IL10, IL17A and IL6 were significantly associated with response to anti-TNF treatment among patients diagnosed with CD (rs1800872-HR, 4.749 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.156-19.517), P value < 0.05; rs2275913-HR, 0.320 [95% CI 0.111-0.920], P value  < 0.05; and rs10499563-HR, 0.210 [95% CI 0.047-0.947], P value 0.05, respectively). None of these SNPs were associated with response to infliximab in adults diagnosed with CD. Among patients diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC), 1 SNP in LY96 was significantly associated with response to anti-TNF treatment (rs-11465996-HR, 10.220 [95% CI 1.849-56.504] P value < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Genotyping of these DNA variants before starting treatment may help to identify children who are long-term responders to anti-TNF drugs, and thus tailor treatment of pediatric IBD.

Isolated Pulmonary Mucormycosis in an immunocompetent patient.

Mucormycosis is a life-threatening fungal infection that occurs mainly in immunocompromised patients. Its occurrence isolated in the lung rare and carries a high mortality risk if untreated. We report the case of a 76-year old male immunocompetent patient, under treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis, admitted to the emergency department with hemoptysis. Bronchoscopy was performed and active bleeding from the middle lobe bronchus was found. Chest CT scan identified a solitary cavitary lesion in the middle lobe. The patient was proposed for urgent open middle lobectomy. Postoperative period was uneventful. Pulmonary mucormycosis was confirmed and adjuvant therapy with Amphotericin B was performed for 30 days. Despite its rarity, mucormycosis prevalence is expected to raise together with increasing number of immunocompromised patients. A high level of suspicion is recommended as early diagnosis can be determinant.

Third time's the charm.

Can you diagnose this right-sided pleuritic chest pain? http://ow.ly/yYq230dDqcd.

[Pulmonary epithelioid hemangioendothelioma - rarity, diagnosis and treatment difficulties]. / Hemangioendotelioma epitelióide do pulmão - Raridade, dificuldades diagnósticas e terapêutica.

The authors report a case of a primary pulmonary epithelioid haemangioendothelioma (EHE) in a 51 year-old man, a mechanic, who complained of a dry cough followed by constitutional symptoms and dyspnoea. Patient underwent a series of diagnostic exams including surgical biopsy and pulmonary tuberculosis was diagnosed. He was prescribed tuberculosis drugs for three weeks. Following clinical and imagiology deterioration, the case was reviewed by pathologists who concluded the pulmonary biopsy revealed an intermediate/high grade pulmonary EHE/angiosarcoma. The patient underwent three cycles of chemotherapy with carboplatin, etoposide and bevacizumab with no complications. He died seven months after onset of symptoms and seven weeks after definitive diagnosis. The authors wish to highlight the rarity of this pulmonary neoplasm and the importance of clinical suspicion, and the diagnosis and treatment difficulties in addition to the potential benefits of antiangiogenic drugs.